ILLIT‘s Iroha has sparked heated debate among Korean netizens with her recent styling choices.
The 17-year-old was born in February 2008, which makes her the group’s youngest member and, of course, still a minor.
A now-trending post on Pann called out her stage makeup as too heavy for her age and out of step with the group’s image.
She’s still underage, and the makeup looks way too heavy. It’s not clear who keeps pushing this kind of image on ILLIT, but it feels excessive. Groups like AOA and Nine Muses pulled off sexy concepts really well back in the day, it genuinely suited them. But ILLIT has always come across as young and cute, so seeing that unintentional air of maturity feels off, almost unsettling.
— Viral post on Pann
ILLIT has built their aesthetic around youthful charm, including natural, glowing makeup and soft, delicate styling. Since their debut with the viral hit “Magnetic” in March 2024, the group has been largely associated with an adorable, bubbly image.
Iroha herself has spoken about showing fans the multifaceted sides of the group beyond just cuteness, and ILLIT’s November single “Not Cute Anymore” marked a deliberate shift away from their candy-coloured, youthful concepts.
As such, not everyone thinks the styling in question crosses a line. Some netizens pointed out that stage makeup at this level is routine, even for much younger performers.
- “Go look at any street these days. Girls as young as middle schoolers are out here with heavy makeup plastered on their faces and school skirts hiked up so short they can barely move. That’s way more of an eyesore.”
- “Even elementary school kids wear makeup like that when they’re performing on stage. What’s with all the fuss about her being a minor?”
- “They’ll figure it out themselves. Not my concern.”
- “They keep posting promo stuff like this.”
What are your thoughts? Is Iroha’s makeup over the top, or is it just the usual K-Pop stage styling?
